Idli Recipe

Idli or Idly is a soft and fluffy savory steamed cake made from fermented rice and lentil batter. Idli is one of the most healthiest and popular South Indian breakfast dish. These are soft, light, fluffy steamed round cakes made with a ground, fermented rice and lentil batter. Here I share my foolproof recipe with video and step-by-step photos that will help you in making the best idli. Black gram is also known as matpe beans, urad beans. To make idli the off white colored husked/hulled black gram is used- it can be split or whole.The lentils and rice are soaked first and then later ground separately. The batters are mixed together and seasoned with salt.The batter is allowed to ferment until it increases in volume. Later the batter is steamed in a special and unique cookware traditionally used for making idli.Idli is a traditional breakfast made in every South Indian household including mine. Idli is popular not only in the whole of India but outside India too.


Urad Dal Idli Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup Urad Dal
  • 2 cups Idli Rice
  • Water (for soaking and grinding)
  • 2 tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp Eno

How to Make Soft Idlis

Follow this step-by-step guide to prepare delicious and fluffy idlis.

Step 1

Pick and rinse both the rice varieties a couple of times in fresh water. Drain all the water and keep it aside.

Step 2

Take ¼ cup thick poha (flattened rice) in a bowl. Poha helps in making the idli soft and fluffy. If you don’t have poha, you can skip it.

Step 3

Rinse the poha once or twice with fresh water.

Step 4

Then add the poha to the rice. Add 2 cups of water. Mix very well and keep aside covered to soak for 4 to 5 hours.

Step 5

In a separate bowl, take ½ cup urad dal (husked black gram) along with ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds. Omit the fenugreek seeds if you don’t have them.

Step 6

Rinse a couple of times in fresh water and soak for 4 to 5 hours.

Step 7

Before grinding, drain the water from urad dal but reserve the water for later use.

Step 8

Grind urad dal in a wet grinder using reserved water. The batter should be light and fluffy.

Step 9

And grind the urad dal for some seconds. Then add ¼ cup of the reserved soaked water or fresh water and continue to grind. The batter should be light and fluffy when completely ground.

Step 10

Pour the urad dal batter in a deep pan or bowl.

Step 11

Drain the water from the rice and poha. Add them in the wet grinder jar or in a powerful blender. I usually grind in two batches.

Step 12

Use the reserved urad dal strained water or regular fresh water to grind the rice and poha too. Add water in parts and grind.

Step 13

Now pour the rice batter in the bowl containing the urad dal batter.

Step 14

Add 1 teaspoon of rock salt. Mix very well with a spoon or spatula. If you live in a cool or cold region, then do not add salt. Add salt later once the fermentation is done.

Step 15

Cover the bowl or container with a lid and keep the batter in a warm place. It should be left undisturbed for 8 to 9 hours. Don’t use an air-tight lid. In colder climate, keep the batter for a longer time – from 12 to 24 hours.

Step 16

The batter the next morning. It will ferment and increase in volume. A well fermented idli batter will have a nice sour aroma with many tiny air pockets in the batter.

Step 17

19. Grease or brush the idli mould with oil all over evenly. Gently and lightly swirl the batter. Don’t overdo. Now with a spoon pour portions of the batter in the greased idli moulds.

Step 18

20. Take your idli steamer or pressure cooker or electric cooker or Instant pot. Add some 2 to 2.5 cups water and heat the water until it comes to a light boil. Keep the idli mould in the steamer or pressure cooker. Steam for 12 to 15 minutes

Step 19

21. Check for doneness by carefully inserting a bamboo skewer or knife. If it does not come out clean, then keep again for a few more minutes.

Step 20

Serve Idli hot or warm with sambar and coconut chutney.